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Month: February 2018

If you’re stuck in a rut and looking to change career, then worry not! Though it can be a stressful time, we have just the guide for you.

It’s never late to update your skills, hone the skills you already have and find a job that makes Monday mornings bearable!

So join us as we take a look at how to change your career path with success…

List Your Skills & Interests

Take some time to list your key skills, especially those that can be adapted to other roles. For example, if your role requires communicating well with others, this widely transferable skill should be one for the top of your list.

Meanwhile, your interests should also be priority. If you’re looking to change career, the chances are you’re in search of a more fulfilling, enjoyable or rewarding role.

So, what have you loved about past jobs or voluntary experiences? It’s also worth considering your personal hobbies and taking a look at the industry around them. Just imagine if a hobby you love became a job you love.

Consider Your Current Industry

It may also be beneficial to take a broader look at the industry you’re currently in. If there are aspects of your job that you enjoy, there might be roles in a similar field that could prove more suitable.

For example, if you work in Marketing, you could consider the different roles that fall within the industry, from SEO and copywriting to design and PR.

Brainstorm Your Options

If you’re not sure where to start, a good old-fashioned brainstorming session could do the trick. It’s always useful to get your best ideas down on paper and delve a bit deeper.

This may help to narrow it down and with a clear layout, you can show it to friends and family when looking for their insight and advice.

Take Time to Do Research

Once you’ve got some great ideas to run with, it’s time to do some research!

This could mean finding honest advice from those that have loved and hated the job you’re considering. It could require browsing Google for facts and figures, or even purchasing some key books on the topic.

You may also want to think about who you know and how they could help. Has a friend of a friend worked in a similar role? Consider approaching them for their thoughts and advice so you can ask any questions you may have.

Go and See For Yourself

Arguably the best thing you can do is to go and see for yourself. If you’re not sure if it’s the right path for you, set some time aside to walk in the footsteps of those who have taken the path before you.

You could look into shadowing someone of a similar job title, taking on some voluntary work at the weekend or if it’s a hands-on sort of job, simply giving it a go.

So, you’ve found your dream job and you’ve got yourself an interview. That’s the first bit all boxed off. But if the interview itself seems a little daunting, we’ve got you covered.

At Signature Careers, we want to help you land the perfect role, so if you’re feeling a little rusty when it comes to acing your interview, look no further for steps to success…

1) Forgetting to Do Research

Research is key when it comes to a successful interview. When you’re busy rehearsing talking about yourself, it’s easy to forget that it works two ways. You need to know your stuff when it comes to them. This simple factor could set you apart from other candidates with similar experience.

So, take some time to research the history of the company and keep an eye out for any brand values or mantras. How can you align with them? Knowing what the company stands for and what their foundations are can help you to tailor how you present yourself. This all gives you a fantastic opportunity to relate your personal qualities and professional experience to their values.

2) Feeling too Underdressed

These days, it’s not too tricky to figure out what to wear for interviews. But make sure you take a moment or two to double check. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. But what you’re wearing can help you with your confidence, so make sure it’s comfortable.

Taking a scroll through the company’s social media pages may help you to gage what sort of clothes current employees wear and what the culture is like. If it seems formal, keep it smart. But if it seems a little more relaxed, you may want to add some personal touches to your outfit to express who you are.

3) Not Asking Any Questions

Though the purpose of an interview is largely for the company to see if you’re a good fit, it’s also a chance for you to see if the job really sounds right for you. And if you don’t have any questions to ask, you won’t find out everything you might have wanted to know before you started the job.

Not forgetting, if you don’t ask questions, you may risk seeming unenthusiastic. If another candidate has prepared some thoughtful questions and shows more interest in the role, it could be that they’re more memorable afterwards.

4) Forgetting About Body Language

Body language says a lot. Though its a subconscious communication, it can be just as important as talking. In fact, your body language could be a deal breaker from the moment you arrive.

It’s important to remain conscious of how you’re presenting yourself, without giving it so much thought that it seems forced. The key is to relax, act naturally and think about the qualities you admire most when you’re speaking to others.

Using with your hands while you talk can be persuasive and engaging; it may also make you feel more in control and reaffirm that you know what you’re talking about.

In the meantime, eye contact is also a winning factor. If you can maintain a strong level of eye contact throughout, your interviewer will see that your answers are genuine and that you have confidence in yourself. Again, this should all feel natural. It’s not a staring contest!

5) Over-preparing Your Answers

Just as your body language should feel natural, so should your answers to questions. It’s great to feel prepared but it’s better to think of your interview as more similar to a Powerpoint presentation than a speech. For example, while presenting you may have clear bullet points to support you, but you don’t need to solely rely on them to carry on going.

It may sound a little too robotic if you’re relaying answers from memory. Plus, if you’re asked something that you haven’t prepared an answer to, it’s likely that you may feel thrown off and find yourself unable to think on the spot.

So, we hope you’ve found our guide to Interview Mistakes to Avoid useful and wish you the best of luck. We think you’ve got this!